In recent years, there has been demand in the field of the art for a light-sensitive material which is capable of being rapidly processable, high in image quality, excellent in processing stability and inexpensive in cost and, in particular, for a light-sensitive material capable of being rapidly processable.
To be more concrete, an automatic processor is installed at a photofinishing laboratory to process light-sensitive materials. One of the services given to customers is the return of finished films and prints to customers on the same day the photofinishing orders are received and, quite recently, to return them within several hours after receiving the finishing orders, therefore the developments of more rapidly processable light-sensitive materials have been urgently required.
On the other hand, there have been increased instances where light-sensitive materials are liable to mechanical pressure when they are treated in equipments such as printers and automatic processors. When a light-sensitive material is applied with various pressures as mentioned above, the silver halide grains of the light-sensitive material are also applied with a pressure through the binders. i.e., gelatin. of the silver halide grains. When the silver halide grains are applied with a pressure, the photographic characteristics of the light-sensitive material are also varied in such a phenomenon as pressure desensitization, pressure fog or the like. Particularly in the case of a rapid processing, the light-sensitive material is liable to a stronger pressure because it is transported faster. This phenomenon has been far well-known as a photographic pressure effect and is described in, for example, T. H. James, `The Theory of Photographic Process` 4th Ed., Macmillan Publishing Co., New York, Paragraph 24; ; D. Dautrich, F. Granzer and E. Moisar, `Journal of Photographic Science`, 21, p. 221, 1973; and so forth.
Light-sensitive materials are applied with a pressure in two cases. i.e., in dried conditions and in wet conditions in which a developing process is being carried out. It cannot, therefore, be said that an effect can be satisfactorily displayed unless the pressure resistance can be improved in both of the conditions, respectively.
Accordingly, there have been attempts to provide light-sensitive materials having more stability against pressure. For example, they are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection (hereinafter referred to as Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication) No. 53-13923/1978, a high boiling solvent is contained in an amount of not less than 20% by weight of the binders thereof in a coupler-containing layer; in Japanese Patent Publication No. 57-12133/1982, a coupler and a conversion emulsion are used: in British Patent No. 738,618, a heterocyclic compound is used: in U.S. Pat. No. 2,960,404, a polyhydric alcohol is used; and so forth. However, no satisfactory effect can be obtained from the above-disclosed techniques.
Further, Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 62-250437/1987 discloses a method that a light-sensitive material, which is comprised of a silver halide mainly composed of silver chloride and a water-soluble iridium compound, is hardened with a specific layer hardener. It was, however, found that such a light-sensitive material is still not satisfactory, some effects may be obtained on pressure resistance in wet conditions though, but is still not improved in the pressure resistance in dry conditions and is too low in sensitivity and too soft in contrast to be applied suitably to a rapid processing.